Drew Clark: Cities Crave Gigabit Networks, and Meet on Monday in California to Launch ‘Next Century Cities’

October 17, 2014 - Fiber-optic communication is increasingly being recognized as a new necessity of urban life, with momentum for cities to obtain Gigabit Networks enabled by fiber is growing every week.

On Monday, October 20, a new group of cities -- called Next Century Cities -- launches a "city-to-city collaboration that supports community leaders across the country as they seek to ensure that all have access to fast, affordable and reliable internet."

The event is being launched in Santa Monica, Calif., with officials representing more than 30 cities, including Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; Lafayette, Louisiana; Raleigh, North Carolina, and Santa Monica.

I'll be at the event in Santa Monica, and hope to provide readers of Broadband Breakfast with an update soon after the event, plus live-streaming via http://twitter.com/broadbandcensus. The event, which begins at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT, is also being webcast at http://bit.ly/next-century-cities

In an announcement about the event, Next Century Cities Executive Director Deb Socia said: "Our event will bring together mayors from communities across the country, as well as successful technologists who have helped to implement and run some of the nation's most impressive broadband networks. We're proud to host mayors and leaders from across the country for a series of thought-provoking discussions about how high-quality broadband internet has begun to empower American communities."

Participating in a panel discussion with mayors and city leaders will be Susan Crawford, visiting professor at Harvard Law School, and former special assistant to the Obama Administration for science and technology policy.

Other cities participating in the event include Ammon, Idaho; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; Mount Vernon, Washington; and Wilson, North Carolina.

As was reported in a recent piece on BroadbandBreakfast.com, about Susan Crawford:

"Crawford, a leading architect of the Obama administration’s aggressive efforts to stimulate the growth of high-speed internet networks, has been one of the nation’s leading visionaries for the power of fiber-optic communication. Of all available internet technologies, fiber is unparalleled in its ability to offer resilient ultra-high speed broadband connections.

"Crawford’s latest book, The Responsive City: Engaging Cities Through Data-Smart Governance, tracks the role that fiber now plays in the democratic relationships on a civic level. Such technologies that enable greater transparency and problem solving by public officials and residents, the book co-authored with Stephen Goldsmith builds a case for deeper urban interconnectedness through broadband technologies."

Drew Clark is the Chairman of the Broadband Breakfast Club, the premier Washington forum advancing the conversation around broadband technology and internet policy. He tracks the development of Gigabit Networks, broadband usage, the universal service fund and wireless policy @BroadbandCensus. He is also Of Counsel with the firm of Kirton McConkie, based in Salt City City, Utah. You can find him on LinkedIN, Google+ and Twitter. The articles and posts on BroadbandBreakfast.com  and affiliated social media are not legal advice or legal services, do not constitute the creation of an attorney-client privilege, and represent the views of their respective authors. Clark brings experts and practitioners together to advance the benefits provided by broadband: job creation, telemedicine, online learning, public safety, energy, transportation and eGovernment.